Pounds: BOE SOS

Despite Ohio Secretary of State oversight and investigations, the Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) has proven itself to be incapable of smoothly running even a low-turnout primary election.

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The May 6 election was marked by confusion over paper ballots in District 2, missing data cards, delayed results and, as usual, personal rancor and conflict among BOE members. The removal of former Director Meghan Gallagher seems to have made little difference; it is remarkable that a primary election that draws less than 10 percent participation could stumble so badly.

The contention and Keystone Cop antics that have characterized BOE member Jon Stainbrook’s tenure have long since ceased to be funny. The recent hearings conducted by the Secretary of State have done nothing to alleviate the impression that the most sacred of democratic processes is unprotected and vulnerable to mishaps.

There were not many surprises in the election. Incumbent Matt Cherry retained his District 2 Toledo City Council seat over strong candidates Marcia Helman and Bob Vasquez. In the 47th District Ohio House of Representatives race, incumbent Barbara Sears bested challenger Scott Allegrini. Kudos to Allegrini for moving from activist to candidate and we hope to see him run again in the future.

In the Republican state central committee race for the male representative in the 11th Senate District, Bill Delaney defeated county Republican Chairman Stainbrook, a positive and encouraging development, but ousted BOE Director Gallagher kept her committee seat over Diana Skaff.

The Secretary of State is clearly aware of the Lucas County BOE’s shortcomings and is taking steps to document its foibles. But it will take more than investigation and discussion to clean up the mess; it will take a clean sweep of the BOE to give Lucas County voters, as few of them as there are, confidence in the election process.

Perhaps a clean start and renewed faith in the process will lead to increased participation from candidates and voters.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

District 2 voters to choose Council seat by paper ballots

Voters in District 2 can cast their votes electronically in the primary election — except for one race.

When arriving at the polls on May 6, District 2 voters will be handed a paper ballot where they can cast their vote for a candidate to fill the District 2 Toledo City Council seat vacated by D. Michael Collins.

Because the filing deadline for interested candidates was March 27 and early voting was scheduled to start April 1, the race couldn’t be included on the electronic ballot, said Lucas County Board of Elections Deputy DirectorDan DeAngelis.

“The District 2 race is by paper only. We had to do that because of the late filing deadline in the City of Toledo charter,” DeAngelis said. “We couldn’t hold off building our database for the primary when we had hundreds of different candidates and ballot styles. The best solution was to have two different databases.”

Running for the open seat are Matt Cherry, Joe Celusta, Marcia Helman and Bob Vasquez.

Polls in Ohio opened at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. In Michigan, the hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Marcia Helman runs for Collins’ vacant council seat

If Marcia Helman were to have a new campaign slogan it would be “Marcia Helman gets things done!”

The effusive 63-year-old owns and operates the Lickity Split ice cream parlor on Glendale Avenue, sits on the Walbridge Park Board and works for the Art Commission.

Marcia Helman is running for the City Council seat vacated by Mayor D. Michael Collins. Toledo Free Press Photo by Kim Sanchez

When she worked at the Ed Schmidt Pontiac dealership in Perrysburg as a bookkeeper several years ago, she was known as the go-to person who got things accomplished.

“Let’s just say there isn’t anything I haven’t done myself,” she said recently during an interview at the ice cream shop in South Toledo, Helman’s home district.

Helman wants to take her energy, drive and enthusiasm into the City Council District 2 seat at the May 6 primary.

This will be her second try against Democratic incumbent Mike Cherry, a business agent for a Sheet Metals Worker local, whom Council voted in 8-3 in January. The position had been vacated by Council member D. Michael Collins when he was elected mayor. The primary will decide who serves in Council for the remainder of the four-year term.

Helmen said going up against Cherry for another run does not throw her into a competitive dive. She said they are on friendly terms and can laugh and joke about who is going to beat who in the primary.

“Matt and I are friends and we talk and we talk about the campaign to each other and I look at Matt as a friend and I hope he would give me advice on Council,” she said.

“I told him he could (still) come to the ice cream store. I don’t want to lose any customers,” she joked.

She said she has introduced herself to her other competitors, businessman Joe Celusta and Toledo School Board member Bob Vasquez.

Once in office, Helman said she would want to help with redeveloping the vacant lot created when Southwyck mall was demolished.

“I definitely would be focused on [Southwyck],” Helman said. “I have truly already contacted the major on this and would be happy to be in on any talks. As vibrant as it used to be, it can be that way again. The Ragan Woods neighborhood became blighted when everything moved out.”

Helman is running as an Independent in the May 6 primary, but has been registered as a Democrat and a Republican in the past.

“I vote for who I think is the best person for the job,” Helman said.

Councilman Rob Ludeman is Helman’s campaign chairman.

“He was one of the people for years (who) said I should get involved; I should run for City Council,” she said. “I decided on my own I was going to run and I called Rob up and he said, ‘Good, I’ll be your chairman.’ He’s a good Councilmen and well-respected. And I’m glad he is working for me.”

Helman said Toledo is important to her.

“My roots are here and they’re going to be here,” she siad.

One of her roots is the Walbridge Park, where she’s vice president on the park’s advisory board. The park is in her district on Broadway Street across from the Toledo Zoo in the historic Harvard Terrance neighborhood. Billed on its website as a “gem” of Toledo and one of “the most used parks in the city,” it has scenic views of the Maumee River.

Helman is invested in the park because it brings stability to the district.

“It keeps home prices at a constant and attracts people to the neighborhood,” she said.

Part of the park’s mission is to bring diversity into its activities and trails, Helman said. The board sponsors a fall pumpkin fest, hayrides and summer concerts.

“If you put good energy out, people will come,” she said.

The park board is also considered to be the highest example of how a park board should function, Helman said. Their level of commitment gives them a great relationship to the city, she said.

Helman’s strongest relationship to District 2 is her business, the Lickity Split ice cream shop she’s owned for the past 32 years.

“I didn’t know a thing about this (business),” she said. “I was just walking by for exercise.”

Helman lived nearby and was walking by the building that at the time was a closed Mexican restaurant. She and a friend went into business together and bought the place. Thirty-two years later it’s a Toledo landmark that serves families and residents from across the city.

She said she is all for making Toledo a more friendlier place for small businesses like the mom and pop stores around Lickity Split.

Helman has a way of opening doors and airing concerns. She gets her voice heard, whether it’s talking to customers, to her employees or to what may be her future constituents.

“I’m energized by things,” Helman said. “I live in a good place.”

“I’m not ready to give up what I’m doing here,” she said, looking around the parlor. “I just really enjoy it. It’s not really like work.”

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ELECTION 2014

Celusta officially announces run for Council seat

Republican Joe Celusta gathered supporters in front of a failed South Toledo hotel March 26 to officially announce his run for Toledo City Council. The District 2 seat was vacated by Mayor D. Michael Collins.

Joe Celusta

“We are here in District 2 at an example of the many locations throughout Toledo’s landscape and a main entrance for worldly visitors and students from the turnpike and look what we see,” Celusta said, referring to Southwyck. “The results of half a century of the buddy system government rule has turned one of the many gems of Toledo into their collection of abandoned buildings.”

Celusta, a self-described “Constitutional conservative,” said he would “deliver the idea of common sense” to Toledo City Council and use his experience as a businessman to serve Toledo residents.

“I have listened to the citizens of District 2 who are sick of government waste. They are sick of the potholes damaging their cars. They are sick of the landscape like Southwyck hurting their property values and they are sick of the mismanagement of Toledo’s funds resulting in a $700 million debt.

“Together we can put our city back on the map as a strong community and a desirable place to do business like it once was,” he said. “We need to change the way we have been governing and voting for the past several decades of poor leadership since my grandfathers administration in the ’50s.”

Celusta, a fifth-generation Toledoan, fell short in his bid for an at-large City Council seat in November. His grandfather was mayor of Toledo in the 1950s and his great-grandfather sat on City Council.

Celusta has said Southwyck is a key issue for District 2 and Toledo.

“Southwyck is vital to the city just for tax revenue,” Celusta told Toledo Free Press earlier this month. “It’s is very important to us because that’s where our future income is to support to the rest of the district. If we develop it, we get tax revenue out of the Southwyck area and that’s what fixes the streets.”

Celusta was a business owner for several years and most recently was senior manager of a $1.5 billion company, TrueNorth Energy. He said he was disappointed when TrueNorth built its company headquarters in Brecksville, Ohio, instead of Toledo and feels more attention needs to be paid to development opportunities in Toledo.

“Development is what Toledo is all about and I’m 100 percent Toledo,” Celusta said. “[In the last election] we lost someone like Adam Martinez, who was a quality Councilman. He was more the development type and hopefully I can fill that void.”

The District 2 seat is currently being filled by Democrat Matt Cherry, a Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 worker, who was appointed in January. Also planning to run are business owner Marcia Helman, an independent, and Toledo Public Schools board vice president Bob Vasquez, a Democrat.

Anthony Wayne Bridge set to close for 19 months

One of Toledo’s most iconic landmarks is set to go out of commission for the next 19 months, leaving many area residents and business owners apprehensive yet resigned.

The Anthony Wayne Bridge will close at 7 a.m. March 17 for 19 months. Toledo Free Press Photo by Sarah Ottney

The Anthony Wayne Bridge — more commonly called the High Level Bridge — will close to both vehicles and pedestrians at 7 a.m. March 17 and remain closed until September 2015 as it undergoes repairs. It’s the first long-term closure of this duration in the bridge’s eight-decade history, said Theresa Pollick, public information officer with Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), District 2.

Every day, more than 26,000 vehicles cross the 3,215-foot-long span. The structure, which connects Downtown with the city’s East Side over the Maumee River, is the last cable suspension bridge on the state highway system in Ohio, Pollick said.

“Obviously it has historical significance to Toledo,” Pollick said. “When you think of a bridge in Toledo you think of the Anthony Wayne Bridge.”

Compounding the traffic issues will be the Craig Memorial Bridge, which closed Jan. 15 for $11 million in painting and repairs, and, hampered by winter weather delays, will not reopen until March 27.

“We did our best to avoid it, but there will be an overlap,” Pollick said. “We’re working around the clock and squeezing about a third of the contract into a few months. There is a lot of work still to be done there.”

Henry Loughner, a tow truck driver with Boyz Automotive & Towing on East Broadway Street, said he drives across the bridge regularly.

“It’s going to make it a lot harder to get around to this side,” Loughner said. “And the traffic’s going to be crazy because the Craig Street Bridge is already closed out. It’s going to be a little hectic.”

Tim Williams, owner of Big Apple Deli on Woodville Road said he’s hoping for the best.

“You’re obviously nervous about it, but you can’t be upset about something that is progress and is going to improve the condition of the bridge,” he said. “It will make it more difficult for our customers, but our customers are a tough bunch. They come from all over and will get here come heck or high water — we hope anyway.”

Tony Whitaker, a student at Owens Community College, lives on the South End but walks the bridge two to three times a week to visit friends and his girlfriend on the East Side. He said the closure will cut his visits down to once a week unless he can find a ride.

For the past two years, Nicole Strong of South Toledo has been meeting a fellow Fremont Middle School teacher in Northwood to carpool to work. She will discontinue that when the bridge closes.

“It will take way too long to get to her place from mine so we will both just have to drive separate from now on,” Strong said. “I’ve been trying to find another teacher, but there’s nobody I know well enough or feel comfortable enough with carpooling so I’m on my own.”

Jeno DeLuca, owner of Complete Auto Repair on South Summit Street, said he’s afraid he’ll have to switch to a more expensive parts dealer to avoid the trip across the river to his preferred shop. However, he understands the closures.

Beatriz Garduno, owner of La Cachanilla Mexican Restaurant on South Summit Street near the foot of the bridge, said she’s hoping the closure will actually increase business.

“Last week, we had some construction people working on the bridge who came in and had lunch here,” Garduno said. “I’m hoping it won’t hurt us and might help us a little bit. It’s been a hard winter.”

Danielle Foltz, a cashier at the Valero gas station on the Downtown side of the bridge, said she’s hoping loyal customers and a popular 24-hour Subway will keep the station busy.

“A lot of customers ask about that. We don’t know yet,” Foltz said.

E.S. Wagner Company of Oregon will be the main contractor for the $28.7 million project. The entire concrete bridge deck will be replaced along with sidewalks, railings, street lighting, fencing and expansion joints. The lighting now on the outside sidewalks will move to the median. Substructure work will include repairs to the existing concrete piers and abutments and the addition of two new piers. The bridge will also undergo structural steel repairs to the towers and superstructure.

The most noticeable difference will be the replacement of two steel trusses on each end of the suspension spans with steel girders and the addition of two concrete support pillars, one on each side of the bridge, said Mel Williams, bridge division estimator project manager with E.S. Wagner.

There are 480 locations on the bridge that need steel repaired, including on the towers, the suspension span and the approach span, Williams said.

“A lot of the prep work has been fabricating the repair steel for the superstructure of the bridge,” Williams said. “We have to go in and take out the deteriorated steel, have new steel fabricated and go back and replace the deteriorated.”

Damaged portions of the concrete substructure will also be repaired.

On March 17, workers will begin about two weeks of preliminary work to prepare, Williams said. The next step will be to start taking the deck off the suspension span.

A crew of 50-75 workers will be working on the bridge at any given time, he said.

“It’s a very aggressive schedule to get the amount of work done that has to be done in that time frame,” Williams said. “We’ll work multiple crews and maybe even multiple shifts.”

The Anthony Wayne Bridge was built from 1929-31 for about $3 million.

In 1960-61, the bridge underwent an extensive rehabilitation, including a new deck, tower lighting upgrades and painting. It was repainted in the 1980s. Another major rehabilitation came in 1996-97, including a concrete deck overlay, suspender rope replacement, expansion joint replacement and painting, Pollick said.

Consultants from several companies spent three years, from 2009-12, inspecting the bridge’s structure and cables to determine what repairs were needed. Cables were tested to detect any breaks and the bridge was shut down for a day to take measurements without the weight of traffic.

Starting this fall, safety platforms were installed beneath the bridge.

“We’ve prepared for this one for a long time,” Pollick said. “We spent a long time dedicated to investigating what needed to be done with the bridge because of its age.

“We wanted to keep its historical integrity and do as much preservation work as possible,” she said. “But we had to make these changes to ensure the bridge’s span for the next 50 years.”

Darrel Hafner, owner of Hafner’s Sheet Metal & Supply on South Summit Street, said the bridge is “vital” to the area and it will be interesting to see how things go.

“I would imagine it’s going to be a pain, but I also understand the need and there’s not much you can do about it,” Hafner said. “I’ve been trying to figure it out, but I think I’m better off just adding some gas to the tank and doing my thing. It’s going to be a little bit cumbersome, but I think we can get around it.

“I have about six commercial roofing contractors and 10 residential heating contractors that might have to go out of their way a little bit to get here, but we provide them pretty good service so I’m sure they’ll do it no matter where we’re at. You just gotta work around it and do what you gotta do.”

Oscar Ponce, who owns San Marcos Mexican grocery and restaurant near the bridge, said he’s hoping he won’t lose business when it’s not as convenient for people to get there.

“We are [worried], of course we are,” Ponce said. “We know it’s going to affect our customers, but there’s nothing we can do. People come here because they love our food so hopefully nothing changes. We depend on our customers so I hope everything goes fine.”

Oliver House General Manager Neal Kovacik and Jamie Ondrus of True Value Ondrus Hardware on Oak Street both said there were enough other bridges that they didn’t foresee losing business.

Work is scheduled to be completed by December 2015, but lane restrictions will also be put in place in spring 2016 for painting.

Toledo City Councilman Mike Craig, whose District 3 contains both sides of the bridge, said such closures are just part of the price of living in a city with a river running through it.

“I know there are businesses with concerns,” Craig said. “But you know what the alternative is? Let it go and then close the bridge permanently. ODOT is doing what they have to do to preserve the bridge.”

Jodi Gross, community builder at East Toledo Family Center, said her biggest concern is traffic cutting across through the neighborhoods and down residential streets.

ODOT’s official eight-mile detour is across the I-75 bridge, but Craig said he’s not so sure people are going to stick to that route.

“Nobody who knows their way around the city is going to take that detour,” Craig said. “I would say probably 80 to 90 percent of traffic is going to detour to the MLK Bridge and that’s going to put a lot of pressure on Main Street.”

TARTA has four bus routes that service East Toledo but TARTA actually rerouted its buses over the MLK Bridge in June 2012 in anticipation of this bridge closure as well as Hollywood Casino Toledo opening, said Steve Atkinson, director of marketing for TARTA.

“We were aware some time ago that this bridge would be closed, although we didn’t know when, so we were proactive and adjusted the routes away from Anthony Wayne Bridge,” Atkinson said. “We wanted to be well ahead of it so riders would get used to it and we could make adjustments as needed without being up again a deadline with the bridge.”

Sgt. Joe Heffernan, public information officer with Toledo Police Department (TPD), said he expects the first 10 days to be the worst because the Craig Memorial Bridge will still be closed and because it takes time to adjust to new routes.

TPD will work with traffic engineers on the timing and cycling of lights near the intersection of Front and Main streets in anticipation of heavier traffic. Officers will also be enforcing weight limits for commercial traffic — and watching for impaired drivers on St. Patrick’s Day.

“I would just ask for patience,” Heffernan said. “This will work out. People will figure it out as time goes on. It will certainly be an inconvenience in the beginning, but keep your eye on the prize, which is a new refurbished bridge that will serve us for the next 50 years. It will be worth it in the long run.”

Pounds: Political business

In the wake of business owner Sandy Spang’s resounding success in running for Toledo City Council, more dollars-and-sense-oriented people are stepping into local politics.

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Marcia Helman, Lickity Split ice cream store owner, and Joe Celusta, a business owner for several years and most recently senior manager of TrueNorth, are among those planning to run for the District 2 City Council seat vacated by Mayor D. Michael Collins.

Celusta, a Republican, told Toledo Free Press Managing Editor Sarah Ottney the future of the Southwyck property is a key issue for District 2 and Toledo.

“Southwyck is vital to the city just for tax revenue,” Celusta said. “It’s is very important to us because that’s where our future income is to support to the rest of the district. If we develop it, we get tax revenue out of the Southwyck area and that’s what fixes the streets.”

Helman also said revitalizing Southwyck needs to be a major focus.

“We need to set up a master plan, not let just anybody go in there and build anything,” Helman told Ottney. “It’s going to be a slow revitalization, but I would work with anybody who wanted to work on that.”

Helman is running as an independent with the support of Realtor Rob Ludeman, who so skillfully guided Spang through her first election.

The District 2 seat is being temporarily filled by Democrat Matt Cherry, a Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 worker, who was appointed in January.

Cherry told Ottney he plans to focus on economic development, neighborhood safety and the amenities that keep young families in Toledo.

“More jobs fix a lot of problems in a lot of aspects,” Cherry said.

It is encouraging to see more business owners invest in the leadership issues of our region.

I suspect the dominant voice in the election will belong to Toledo Public Schools Board of Education member Bob Vasquez. Vasquez, a Democrat and licensed social worker, told Ottney the skills and experience he developed on the school board, including reading multimillion-dollar budgets and making tough financial decisions, will help him on City Council.

“You don’t get into leadership positions just to go along,” Vasquez told Ottney. “You either lead or you go along, one or the other, and I feel that I lead.”

Another universal concern was over ongoing fund transfers from the capital improvement budget to the general budget.

“I haven’t heard anyone talk about plans to wean ourselves off that in the future,” Vasquez said. “And that does affect basic services, especially streets, because that’s capital improvement.”

I have long known and trusted Vasquez, but I remain open to the messages and ideas the other candidates will present. In any event, I am pleased to see this continuing trend of more business owners joining the political scene. The insight, responsibility and financial acumen business people can bring to the conversation are a crucial contributions to the future of our region.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

Joe Celusta confirms plan to run for City Council seat

Joe Celusta plans to throw his hat in the ring for the District 2 Toledo City Council seat vacated by Mayor D. Michael Collins.

Joe Celusta

Celusta, a fifth-generation Toledoan who unsuccessfully ran for an at-large City Council seat in November, confirmed to Toledo Free Press March 9 he planned to run in the upcoming May election.

“I made a decision to run to try to make a difference,” Celusta said. “It’s an opportune time for me do this.”

Celusta said Southwyck is a key issue for District 2 and Toledo.

“Southwyck is vital to the city just for tax revenue,” Celusta said. “It’s is very important to us because that’s where our future income is to support to the rest of the district. If we develop it, we get tax revenue out of the Southwyck area and that’s what fixes the streets.”

Celusta said he’s also concerned with the city’s budget, which anticipates spending more than last year.

“I’m very concerned with the capital budget right now in comparison to last year’s,” Celusta said. “The budget doesn’t really make much sense to me right now.”

Celusta told Toledo Free Press in October he wanted to be a City Council member “because we need a change.”

“This is my hometown and nobody’s taking care of it,” he said in October. “They (City Council) take care of basic necessities but they’re not out working with citizens. They’re not keeping their ear to the ground.”

Celusta was a business owner for several years and most recently was senior manager of a $1.5 billion company, TrueNorth Energy.

“Money and budgets I’m well versed in,” he said in October. “I think my workability with Council and my memory and history makes me pretty good. I am not an experienced politician. I’m an experienced businessman.”

Celusta said he was disappointed when TrueNorth built its company headquarters in Brecksville, Ohio, instead of Toledo and feels more attention paid to development opportunities in Toledo.

“Development is what Toledo is all about and I’m 100 percent Toledo,” Celusta said. “We lost someone like Adam Martinez, who was a quality Councilman. He was more the development type and hopefully I can fill that void.”

The District 2 seat is currently being filled by Democrat Matt Cherry, a Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 worker, who was appointed in January. Also planning to run are business owner Marcia Helman, an independent, and Toledo Public Schools board vice president Bob Vasquez, a Democrat.

“We’ve got two candidates who are very indecisive,” Celusta said, referring to Helman and Vasquez.

Helman initially said she would run as a Republican, but then briefly sought backing from the Lucas County Democratic Party before deciding to run as an independent. Vasquez ran for re-election to the school board in November and retained his seat.

“I’m disappointed because I voted for Bob and I expected four more years [on the school board] instead of two months,” Celusta said. “We need help there the most. That is just as crucial as the city in my opinion, to get our education back online. He should finish his job on the school board.”

Celusta’s family has a long history of public service. His great-grandfather sat on City Council and his grandfather was Ollie Czelusta, Toledo mayor in the 1950s. His father was a district attorney and assistant law director for the city and his mother taught ESL for Toledo Public Schools (TPS).

South Toledoans could swing mayoral election

Sandy Spang and Rob Ludeman were among the top vote-getters in the September primary election for City Council. Toledo Free Press photo and cover photo by Christie Materni

A dozen candidates are vying for at-large Toledo City Council seats, hoping to bring fresh ideas and familiar names into Council chambers. In this year’s race, a mix of incumbents, names known across the city and newcomers taking their first stab at politics are facing off.

Among the candidates are a pair of South Toledoans with a shared vision of the city. Sandy Spang and Rob Ludeman grew up in the same neighborhood; a few years ago, Ludeman nominated Spang for a vacant seat on Council. And while the pair are technically running against each other in the election, they both hope to be elected and see some of South Toledo’s successes implemented throughout the city.

Ludeman was the District 2 representative on Council from 1994 to 2007, and was elected to his at-large seat in 2009. He said he enjoyed representing South Toledo’s District 2, but has particularly liked spending the past four years representing the city as a whole.

“I enjoy being at-large, and getting into other parts of the city. I want to do that again,” he said.

As a veteran Realtor, Ludeman said one of the city’s biggest challenges is dealing with blighted neighborhoods and high occupant turnover rates.

“Toledo’s properties are occupied more than 50 percent by renters,” Ludeman said.

“Whole neighborhoods need to be redone, and little neighborhood by little neighborhood, we need to re-establish those areas. They need grocery stores, gas stations and coffee houses.”

A newcomer to the Toledo political scene, Spang said she knows a thing or two about revitalizing areas with small businesses. Her coffee shop, Plate 21, is located in a commercial strip in South Toledo that sat vacant for years. The duo hopes to bring their respective professional experiences to the political arena.

“Rob understands housing needs, and I’m passionate about small business. You need both of those things to have a neighborhood. It’s easy to say South Toledo is solid, but I want to bring that to other neighborhoods, and bring that to the central city,” Spang said.

The duo believes the at-large seats are the perfect vehicle for implementing big ideas like neighborhood redevelopment.

“At-large councilmembers are the gatekeepers of long-term vision. With a strong mayor system, we can have new ideas every four years, and ideas are sometimes not brought to fruition. Because Council doesn’t turn over every four years, we need to hold Council accountable for long-term vision,” Spang said.

Ludeman said the pair has something else that sets them apart from other candidates: attitude.

“We’re approaching this with positivity. We’re not candidates who tell people how bad things are. We know how great of a place Toledo is to raise a family,” Ludeman said. “We are going to approach the next four years positively, and find positive solutions to problems.”

Sevens are strong

Looking historically at the way voters in Spang and Ludeman’s native South Toledo show up for elections, there is some speculation that candidates from District 2, which includes mayoral candidate D. Michael Collins, could fare extremely well in the Nov. 5 election.

Political pollster Stan Odesky has been forecasting elections in the Toledo area for more than 40 years using precinct turnout data.

Odesky said that historically, precincts 16 and 7, which are home to Spang and Ludeman, respectively, have “pretty high” turnout rates. Collins lives in District 7.

Odesky said in the last mayoral election, South Toledo precincts accounted for about 16,500 of the approximately 68,000 votes cast.

Ludeman and Spang said they hope to have the backing of their own neighborhoods, and noted that having a South Toledo bloc on City Council could benefit the city.

“We have a very strong representation of South Toledo on City Council currently, and that tends to be a very positive thing politically,” Ludeman said.

And while neither Spang nor Ludeman could say for sure if a strong South Toledo showing in the City Council race would translate to a victory for the area’s own mayoral candidate, they did say they were excited to work with whomever is elected.

“Rob and I will be able to work with either administration, and both candidates want to move the city forward,” Spang said.

Election 2012: Gardner tries to return to Ohio Senate

State Rep. Randy Gardner is looking to return to the Ohio Senate, where he had previously served from 2001-08.

Sen. Mark Wagoner decided not to seek re-election for District 2, made up of parts of Lucas, Wood, Erie and Ottawa counties.

Gardner’s opponent, Democrat Jeff Bretz of North Baltimore, did not return repeated calls for comment.

Gardner said Wagoner and other leaders encouraged him to run. He served in the Ohio House from 1985 to 2000 and again in 2008, representing the 6th district. Before entering politics, Gardner was an educator and his father was a superintendent.

“Education has always been very important to me. It just gives me an additional perspective of something that’s very important to our state and country,” he said.

During his political career, Gardner has “had an important impact in a number of areas, most recently in terms of dealing with Lake Erie,” he said.